With Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai, David Dhawan returns to the genre he helped define and, fittingly, bows out with what is reportedly his final directorial venture. Starring Varun Dhawan, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde, the romantic comedy packs in love triangle, relationship chaos and the trademark madcap humour synonymous with the filmmaker’s career for decades. But does this nostalgic throwback still work in 2026, or does it feel stuck in another era? Read our review of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai to find out.

An ex-wife, a new girlfriend, and a twisted secret

For five years, Jasswinder (Varun Dhawan) and Baani (Mrunal Thakur) have been happily married, but without sex. It’s because Jass has always been ready to start a family, but Baani isn’t on the same page. What begins as a disagreement soon snowballs into a separation. Ironically, on the very day they decide to end their marriage, the two get drunk and end up spending a passionate night together.

Ready to move on, Jass shifts to London. There, he meets Preet (Pooja Hegde) and quickly falls head over heels for her. Just when life seems to be getting back on track, Preet reveals she’s pregnant. And if that wasn’t enough of a shock, Baani shows up at Jass’ doorstep with news of her own: she’s expecting as well. Suddenly, Jass finds himself caught between his ex-wife and his new love, two pregnancies, and a situation that’s too messy to handle.

Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai movie review: From bad to worse

If there was any doubt left that Bollywood is still heavily leaning on nostalgia, Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai puts it to rest. From its title, borrowed from a beloved Hindi film song (from Biwi No. 1), to its endless stream of callbacks, references and recycled comic beats, the film seems determined to remind audiences of a bygone era. The entire script relies on dated comedy to evoke humour. There are nods to iconic films, songs and dialogues sprinkled throughout, but nostalgia alone can only take you so far. After a point, it begins to feel like a desperate attempt to recreate a formula that worked decades ago.

The humour largely rests on rhyming one-liners and quirky wordplay. It also feels like the characters are competing against each other to see who can come up with the most clever punchline. While some of it lands, especially when delivered by Varun Dhawan, much of it loses steam as the film progresses. Varun’s natural flair for this brand of comedy keeps several scenes afloat. But the same cannot be said for the rest of the cast. Despite being capable performers, Mrunal Thakur and Pooja Hegde are given dialogues that rarely play to their strengths. More often than not, they look like actors trying to fit into the film’s comic universe rather than characters who naturally belong in it.

The most (un)expected bit about Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai

The movie is meant to be a no-brainer, or so we were fooled into thinking. What’s surprising is that beneath all the chaos, the film briefly touches upon an interesting conflict. The core disagreement between Jass and Baani stems from his desire to make love without protection and her reluctance to do so. This is where the movie seems to touch on a rather common yet rarely discussed issue of consent and the use of protection in bedrooms. But just when the story starts to become bolder and better, it retreats into safer territory. The film works hard to present Jasswinder as an endearing, lovable hero, even when some of his actions suggest otherwise.

In many ways, Jass feels like a spiritual cousin of Varun Dhawan’s Main Tera Hero character. In the end, he even reminded us of one of his famous dialogues from the movie, “Main dikhta hoon sweet, innocent, swaami type ka na... Lekin actually hoon bohot bade haraami type ka.” And Jasswinder doesn’t miss any opportunity to prove this time and again in Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai.

Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai is now running in theatres.

Can you watch Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai with your family?: No, the film portrays intimacy.

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